Tablet crusher



March 17, 1953 I s. D. MORGAN ET AL 2,631,786

TABLET CRUSHER Filed May 6, 1952 T N at;

Patented Mar. 17, 1953 TABLET CRUSHER Sam D. Morgan, Wellington, Tex., and Drexel D. McDaniel, Atwood, Okla.

Application May 6, 1952, Serial No. 286,232

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a tablet crusher and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a simple device consisting of a lower jaw to which there is hinged an upper jaw. The lower jaw is provided with a well which is normally closed by a spring urged pivoted closure member to provide a base in such well and the upper jaw of the device is provided with a crushing tooth which is preferably serrated at its lower end. The device is such that a tablet may be placed within the well atop the closure member and the jaws brought together by means of integrally formed handles and the tablet crushed within such well after which the closure member may be moved outwardly of the well to allow the crushed tablet to drop by gravity to the well into a glass or the like. The device is such that it should be of great assistance to pharmacists and the like.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel tablet crushing device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel closure member forming a part'of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a closure member forming part of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a tablet crusher comprising a lower jaw I having an upwardly ex.-' tending foot ll formed integrally with one end thereof and to the upper end of which foot there is pivotally connected, as indicated at [2, an upper jaw l3.

The jaw I0 is provided with an integrally formed handle [4 while the jaw I3 is provided with an integrally formed handle I5. The jaw I0 is provided with an enlarged central portion l6 having a vertically extending Well I! formed therein. A slot 13 is formed in one side of the body l6 and communicates with a transversely extending passage IS.

A compression spring 20 surrounds a pin extending upwardly from the jaw it as indicated at 2|, and interconnects the jaws l0 and I3 to normally urge the jaw 13 away from the jaw ID. A pin 22 is aflixed to the underside of the jaw l3 and has mounted at its lower end a crushing head 23 provided with a serrated lower face, as indicated at 24.

A closure member 25 is provided with an elongated leg 25 which is pivotally connected, as indicated at 27, to the body [6 within the slot [8 and the closure member 25 is adapted to extend into the passageway l6 and is, in fact, urged therein by means of a tension spring 28.

In operation, it Will be apparent that when it is desired to crush a tablet, it is only necessary to place the tablet in the well I9 atop the closure member 25 which is normally in position in the passageway I9 and hence provides a bottom for the upper portion of the well l9. Thereafter the handle I5 is brought toward the handle l4 by squeezing the same in a single hand of the operator and the crusher head 23 will come into contact with the tablet to crush the same between the serrated lower edge 24 and the upper side of the closure member 25. Thereupon the closure member 25 may be moved out of the passageway I9 by means of an integrally formed outwardly extending fingerpiece 29 and the crushed tablet will be thereupon allowed to drop by gravitythrough the lower end of the well I1.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described compnsmg a lower jaw having a horizontal well therein, an upper jaw hinged at its forward end to the forward end of said lower jaw, a crusher head-dependently carried by said upper jaw and receivable in said well, said lower jaw having a transverse passageway communicating with said well and a slot in one side thereof communicating with said passageway, and a closure member pivoted in said slot and receivable in said passageway to form a bottom for said well.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein a tension spring interconnects said lower jaw and said closure member-whereby to urge said member to closed position, and wherein a finger piece is formed integrally with the outer side of said closure member.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein a compression spring is interposed between said jaws whereby to normally urge the same apart.

SAM D. MORGAN. DREXEL D. McDANIEL.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

